Provident Behavioral Health

Provident Behavioral Health's counseling department is accredited by the joint commission. This department provides a variety of specialized mental Health counseling services to the st. louis metropolitan area. Counseling, as well as all other Provident programming, focuses on serving the underserved. Specifically, we aim to help youth, adults, and older adults at risk of or experiencing mental Health issues or at risk of suicide; individuals with challenges accessing mental Health services, for reasons such as geographical location, transportation, stigma, inequity, and limited mental Health resources; and/or individuals with financial barriers, including inability to afford mental Health services due to limited financial resources or insufficient insurance. In 2023, counseling services were available to individuals aged 2 and older in our four metropolitan st. louis locations in st. louis city, northwest st. louis county, south st. louis county, and creve coeur. Provident also provided counseling services in 10 community-based locations, such as schools, Health departments, and other non-profit agencies. Our clinicians practice evidence-based treatment, beginning with a thorough psychosocial assessment that identifies problems and historical causes of mental Health issues such as family dynamics and community exposure to violence and abuse. An individualized, client-centered, strength-based treatment plan is developed with the client, targeting the goals they would like to achieve. Clients are then engaged in intervention strategies aimed at reducing their symptoms and improving their overall functioning. Outcome measurement tools are administered at the start of treatment and at least quarterly to monitor for improvement or resurgence of symptoms. Treatment strategies can be modified as needed toward successful completion of treatment. In 2023, a total of 2,007 clients received counseling services at Provident, and an additional 121 people were reached by our counseling staff through community presentations and outreach efforts.

The psychiatric services program is accredited by the joint commission. The objective of Provident's psychiatric services program is to provide accessible psychiatric services to youth, adults, and older adults in the st. louis community, coordinating services with Provident's counseling services in order to provide the most effective course of treatment for clients. Services are provided by board-certified psychiatric mental Health nurse practitioners (pmhnps) who are practicing with oversight from contracted collaborating psychiatrists, as required by Missouri's nursing scope of practice standards. Outpatient psychiatric evaluation and medication management are available at Provident's st. louis city office, as well as via telemental Health. In 2023, 1,425 clients were served by the psychiatric services program.

Provident's crisis services provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services 24/7/365. We accomplish this by operating several 24-hour, free, confidential suicide and crisis intervention hotlines. Additionally, crisis services provides a number of specialty services, including helplines for problematic gaming, after-hours telephone support for crisis lines for other agencies, telephonic employee assistance program (eap) services, and monitoring of social media sites. The department achieves and maintains accreditation by the american association of suicidology (aas). It aims to serve any individual who is thinking about, or knows someone who is thinking about, suicide. Services are also available for those who are in crisis and people with lived experience (those who have experienced a suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts and feelings, or a suicide loss). All crisis workers and volunteers receive a minimum of 80 hours of crisis intervention-specific training, based on the evidence-based crisis intervention model, which includes techniques and philosophies from motivational interviewing, cognitive Behavioral therapy, dialectical Behavioral therapy, and brief outcome therapy. In 2023, crisis services reached 35,617 individuals.

While Provident discontinued services in the afterschool program in 2022, it continued the program at st. frances into 2023. Provident remained at st. frances and provided services from january through may 2023.